Blind-fastener



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR (J. DUNHAM, OF WINTHROP, MASSACHUSETTS.

BLlND-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters lfatent No. 272 4217, dated February 20, 1883. Application filed November 27, 1882. 'tNo model.)

To all whom it mag concern Be it. known that I, ARTHUR CAREY DUN- HAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winthrop,in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blind-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a device for securing window-blinds in a closed state for considerable periods'of time--for instance, in the case of dwelling-houses closedfor the summer or winter season; and it consists mainly in a double spring-hook having an eye for connecting it with a staple or screw-ring secured to a window sash or frame, the hooks operating with Staples secured to the blinds in manner as hereinafter explained. I

The drawings accompanying this specification repnesent, in Figure 1, a plan of m y springhook, and Fig. 2 is a side view of the ring. Fig. 3 is an underneath view of the upper sash with the device in operation, and Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section 'through the blind and sashes.

1n the manufacture of my device I provide a piece of spring-wire of about four inches in length, and form upon each a right-angular spur, a, and I then bend this piece of wire into a. V shape in general, with an eye, b, at the vertex. With the double-legged hook thus formed I furnish a staple or screw-eye, c, which in use is preferably screwed into the under side of the lower bar of the upper sash of a window, though it may be applied to other parts of a window-sash or window-frame. By

securing the staple or eye 0 to the under side of the lower bar of the upper sash of a win- (low the body of the hook bears upon such under side and prevents the window-blinds from being lifted off the hinges from the outside. I also furnish with the double hook described a pair of staples, d d, which are to be driven into the stiles of the blinds a distance apart somewhat less than the distance between the spurs a a. When a. pair of blinds are to be secured in a closed position, as stated, the arms 0 e of this hook are to be contracted and the spurs a a inserted in the staples d d. The inherent elasticity of thearms e 6 causes them to separate and confine the spurs at a in the said staples d d. I

The double -legged hook may be secured permanently to the under side of'the windowsash by a staple or otherwise. I prefer, however, that it shall be readily removable in order that it may be stowed away when the house is open for the season. To this end I prefer to employ the ordinary screw-shank round-eyed staple shown in the accompanying drawings; and, to permit the hook to be readily disengaged from this eye, I cut away a portion of the outer face of such hook, as shown atf, in order to reduce its diameter and enable it to pass the throat g of the eye b of the hook.

The throat g is of less width than the diameter of the eye 0. Hence under ordinary circumstances accidental escape of the hook is prevented. When it is desired to detach said hook its spurs a a are removed from the staples d d and the hook lowered and turned to such a point that one of its legs'arrives opposite the reduction f of the eye 0.- This permits the reduction f to pass the throat of the hook and the latter may be removed.

I claim-- A device for permanently securing windowblinds in a closed state, consisting of a doublelegged spring-hook swiveled to a window sash or sill by an eye or staple, and having its legs terminating in lateral spurs to engage staples secured to the blinds, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR CAREY DUNHAM. Witnesses H. E. LODGE, F. CURTIS. 

